Valve



July 23, 1946. l w. R. BRANT ErA-L V'LVE Fiied Nov. Las; 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 23, 1946. w. R. BRANT ETYAL VALVE 2 Sheets-Shed'.l 2

Filed NovT 29. 1944 KW x Patented July 23, 1946 i VALVE Walter R.. Brant and Harvey G. Chapman, Jr., Glendale, Calif., assignors to Adel Precision Products Corp., a corporation of Californial Application November 29, 1944, Serial No. V565,718

3 Claims.

This invention relates to valves', and more particularly to an electrically actuated valve which is characterized by the fact that it is self-contained in a valve body with all of itslparts sealed within said body and with no parts extended through the body so as to require packing or other sealing means therearound.

Among the salient objects of the invention are: to provide a flow-reversing valve of the character above referred to having a spool or piston type of valve member, so constructed and arranged as to permit the stacking of a plurality of valve bodies with a single pressure line and a single return line common to all; to provide a valve body having a valve chamber therein and a valve member operable in said valve chamber, said valve member bein-g connected at its opposite ends, with flexible connections, with two solenoids and their armatures for movement of Vsaid valve member for controlling the ow of operating fluid through said valve chamber to and froml a place of use,4 as to the opposite ends of an operating cylinder; to provide in such a valve, a valve member with means for normally and yieldingly holding it in a neutral or balanced intermediate position until movedy in one direction or the other;` and, in general, to provide a valve of the' character referred to which is economical to manufacture, simple in construction and arrangement, and eilic'ient;` and certain in operation. l l

In order to explain our invention in detail, we have shown one practical embodiment thereof on the'accompanying two sheets of drawings, which We will now describe:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a such a valve embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional View through the valve body and one ofthe solenoids;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a, cross sectional view taken on the line 4-'-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on th line 5--5v of Fig. 1; and l Fig. 6 is a schematic view, with the valve body and valve Vmember and solenoids shown in longitudinal section, and also showing it connected with'a source of operating uid, and with an operating cylinderl and piston.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line Il-T of Fig. -5. i

Referring nowy in detail' to the drawings, the valve body I has attached to its opposite ends two solenoids 2, 2, and is provided therein with a longitudinal bore 3, having an enlarged central porin Fig. 5.

Communicating with the enlarged end bores 5,v 5, are transverse return' bores, as 8, which are also enlarged at their outer' ends to receive gaskets, as at 8,'Fig. 3, in :light broken lines.

Said body I is also provided with two main ports, as 9 and I0, threaded for the connection,

of pipes therewith for supply and return of operating Huid to an operating cylinder, again referred to. The inner ends of these ports il` and IIJ connect through slots 9 and I0 with the main bore or valve chamber 3, as shown in Fig'. 2, and will also be understood from Figs. 3 and 6'.

Movably mounted in the main bore or valve chamber 3 isa spool-typer of valve member I3, which is hollow, and which is adapted to receive a loosely fitting connecting rod I 4, having ballshaped heads I4', which are connected with the ends of armatures I5, I5, as shown, said armatures being operable in the solenoids 2, 2, in the usual manner.

The opposite ends of thevalve member I3are formed to receive thereover coiled springs I6, I6,-

the other ends of which springs operate overthe ends of the armatures I5, I5, in the enlarged end portions 5, 5, of the main bore 3, as shown, and

' bear against washers I6', I6' which abut tubular member I'I: carried by the solenoids and surrounding the armatures I5. The ends vof the armatures surrounded by the spring I6 are reduced and extend through the washer I 6 for connection with the rod I4. The armatures are provided with shoulders I6 which are disposed to contact and movethe washers I6. When either solenoid is energized the armature of the other solenoid is pulled by the rod I4 and its shoulderl contacts the associated washer Iiij and moves it away from the member I1 and compresses the associated spring I6, whi1e the otherspring I6 is compressed between the member I'I of the energized solenoid and the valve member I3. f When one of the solenoids is de-energized following its operation, the springs I6 will return the valve member I3 to-neutral position and `alsoset the armai tures I 5 so that either solenoid may be operated.

Each of said solenoids 2, 2, hasan attaching end plate or ring Z', for attaching the solenoid body to the body I, as shown. Each tubular memberV noid this will open port '9 to thepressure port 6,

vided in their sides with grooves, as 45', for the Y purpose of preventing stalling of the movement of the armature I 5, by reason of trapped uid within the inner tubular member I1, between the arma ture I5 and the flxedcores I1', at the outer ends of said solenoids. Y n Y This connection between the two armatures I5, I5, by the connecting rod' I4,jand the ball and socket joints, assures of flexibility for perfect alignment, and free flow of lubricating medium and proper sealing of the lubricating medium into the solenoids, connected to the opposite ends of the valve body, as clearly illustrated in Fig, 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 'and 5,7it will'be seen that the valve bodyl is provided onrits opposite sides with end plates I9and20, secured thereto by bolts 2| 2I. Theend plate. I9 is. formed as shown in Fig. 7 vwith a 'lf-shaped return vrbore I9 the outer end of the shank of which has a fitting 22 therein affording connection with a return line. Theends vof the head of ther T-shapedreturn bore I9 are arranged to register with those outerrends 'of the return bores 8 which open onV the side of the body opposed to the platelli.A The other' ends of the bores 8 are closed by the Vend plate 20. The end plate` is provided with a'. bore 20', to communicate with the transverse bores 6, 6, inthe main body I, and with the enlarged central portion 4 of the main'bore or valve chamber 3, as seen in Fig. 5.' Theigaskets1,`1,are also seen between said end plates and the body I. The bore 20' `is provided at its outer'end with4 a iitting 23 affording connection with a pressure Vline such as line 21inFg.6 .Y f

These end'plates'as I 9 and 20, shown in Figbl, are used'with one or; with plural'valve bodies connected together, and having'a singlereturn line andal single pressure line, as' will be understood bythose versed in the art.

"In Fig. 6, said valve bodyis shown .connected with a source of operating uid 25, with pump 26, in pipe 21 leading to and connectedwith said valve body I, through the bore or port 6, and the enlarged center portion 4 of the main bore 3, in which therspool valve I 3 moves. A return pipe '28 is diagrammatically shown'as connectedby means -of a Y to two Yreturn outlet ports.8,. 8,. at opposite ends of said valve chamber, .andreturns and port I0 to return port 8, with the consequent movement of the piston 3I and the movement of whatever member or part is connectedthereto.

If` both solenoids lare deenergized, the valve element I3 will be centered by the springs I6, I6, andgbotn ports 9 and III will be opened to the retu'rnportsv 8,8, as seen in thel sectional view, Fig. 2. The'restricted or slot connection between the ports 9 and I0, and the valve chamber facilitates this possible connection and the balance of @the valve member I3 in the position shown iny Fig. 2. It will be understood, of course, that the usualelectric connections to the solenoids are provided so that by the simple manipulation of a switch either oi` the solenoids can be energized.

It isnot believed that these electric connections to the-reservoir, or source of supply'offhydraulicl fluid 25,through pipe 28. vIn. practice' line 28 will be 'connected to `the returnbore I9v through the fitting 22. `A safety or by-pass valve 291is shown'connected between pipes 21 and 28. This may be the usualby-pass valve.

'The operatingcylinder is designated 30, vwith operating piston 3| therein, for connection to the part to rbe moved, whatever it may be. The opposite ends of the 'cylinder 30 are connected by means Yof pipes 32 and 33, withthe supply and return ports 9 and I9, respectively, as indicated. In Fig. 6, the valve I3 is shown moved to the right incident to energization offthe right hand are necessary to an understanding of the invention proper, which is the` construction and arrangement'of the valve body and valveelement, and the connections therefor Within a closed housing in the manner shown and described.

. Thus bythe simple manipulation ofthe proper switch it is possible to energize the desired sole-V noid and the, valve member I3 will be moved in either direction for directing'the .operating viiuid into they operating cylinder 30, for moving the piston -and the mechanism connected therewith, whateveritmaybje.-v i f- It will be noted that all of the operating partsV details of construction-and arrangement shown for illustrative purposes, except as lwe may be limited by the hereto appended claims, forming a y part thereof. L

l. A how-reversing valveof .the character referred to including a valve body having a valve chamber therein, with ports.- for; connecting .fa sourceV of operating fluid under pressure to move through said valve chamber to andfrom a place ofvuse, a hollow valvev of the spool type operable in said valve chambervfor controlling the flow tof operating fluidtherethrough, aVV solenoid connected with each endV of said Avalve chamber, an armature in each solenoid'and operable through the closed juncture between the ends of the valve chamber and said solenoids, a connectingxrod from one armature to the other through saidhollow valve, anda coiled spring, interposed between each armature and the adjacent end of said-valve for normally pressing them apart. Y a u 2. In a valve structure of the character-ree ferred to, a valve body having acylindrical valve chamber therein enlarged atits opposite ends, la spool valve member operable therein, means-for connecting a source of operating iluid under -presi sure. through said valve chamber, toand ironia place of use, controlled by saidvalve'member, two solenoids connected with theopposite. ends of said valve member for moving it in:opposi te directions, an armature in each solenoid, a coiled.

spring between-thev armaturefandits end ofsaid valve-member for normally pressing them apart,

and a rod through said valvemember connecting' said armatures, wherebysaid armatures andv'alve 6 through the juncture between said solenoid and said valve chamber, a coiled spring interposed between each armature and the end ofl said valve member and operating to press them apart, and a connecting rod extended through said valve member and having a ball and socket connection at each end with said armatures, respectively, for the purpose indicated.

WALTER R. BRANT. HARVEY G. CHAPMAN, JR. 

